Handled washing mops



Dec. 20, 1955 c. H. HUCKE HANDLED WASHING MOPS Filed April 25, 1951 FIG. I.

lllllll CHARLES H. HUCKE United States Patent HANDLED WASHING MOPS Charles H. Hu'cke, St. Louis, Mo. Application April 25, 1951, Serial No. 222,894

6 Claims, (CI. 152Z9) This invention relates generally to washing implements and more specifically to washing implements adapted for use particularly, though not exclusively, in washing motor vehicles, the predominant object of the invention. being to provide an improved washing implement which includes as a part thereof a shoe that supports the washing head of the implement and is formed of resilient material so that the washing head may adapt itself in shape to the shapes of diiierent surface portions of motor vehicles which are being washed with the aid of the improved washing implement.

Another important feature of the invention is the construction and arrangement of the washing head of the improved implement of this invention, and the manner of quickly and easily applying said washing head to and removing said washing head from the shoe of the implement when this is required.

Fig. 1 is a top, plan view of the improved Washing implement of this invention with a portion of the handle broken away. v

Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of the implement illustrated in Fig. l, a portion of theha'ndl'e being broken away in this view also.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the washing head of the improved washing implement.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation on a reduced scale illustrating the flexibility of the shoe of the improved washing implement.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for purposesof illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved washing implement generally. The washing implement A includes a shoe 1, which is formed of rubber or other suitable resilient material, said shoe being provided on its lower face with a plurality of ribs 2 which extend longitudinally of the shoe and impart to the shoe the required stiffness and rigidity without depriving said shoe of the resiliency required for the performance of its intended function. The shoe 1 is provided on its upper face with a pair of upstanding extensions 3 and 4 which project transversely of the shoe, each extension 3 and 4 being provided at its opposite ends with recess 3' and 4' which give said extensions 3 and 4 approximately hook-shaped opposite end portions", as is shown to good advantage in Fig. 3' and which serve a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. Each of. the extensions 3 and 4 includes a projected portion 5 which extends longitudinally of the shoe 1 at the approximate transverse center thereof. Preferably, the extensions 3 and 4 and the portions 5 thereof are formed integral with the main structure of the shoe 1, and also formed integral with the shoe and projected upwardly from the top face thereof is a portion 6 that is provided with an opening 6' which frictionally receives an end portion of a handle 7.

The improved washing element A of this invention includes a washing head 3 that comprises a base element 9 which preferably is formed of fabric. The base element 9 is of elongated shape and along the opposite edges ice of said base element which extend in the direction of the length thereof portions of binding tape 10 are secured by stitches, or otherwise. The binding tape portions embrace the opposite edge portions of the base element 9, and binding tape portions 11 in the form of loops are present at the opposite ends of the base element 9 where said loops extend beyond the opposite ends of the base-element. Preferably, though not necessarily, a single length of binding tape is employed to provide the tape portions that embrace the opposite side edges of. the base element 9 and the loop portions 11 at the opposite ends of said base portion. Also, the base element 9 of the washing head 8 has strands of mop material 12 stitched or otherwise secured thereto to complete the washing head.

In applying the washing head 8 to the shoe 1, the loop 11' of binding tape at one end of the base element 9 of the Washing head is applied to one. end of the shoe 1, as is shown in Fig. 1; that is to say, portions of said binding tape loop located adjacent to end portions of the side, longitudinal edges of base element 9 are disposed in the recesses 3 and 4 formed in the opposite end portions of one of the extensions 3 or 4, and the center portion of the loop is passed behind the related extension portion 5. The loop 11 of binding tape at the opposite end of the washing head is then applied in like manner to the extension 3 or 4 and the related extension portion 5 so as to securely attach the washing head 8 to the shoe 1. It is to be noted that base element 9 of the washing head 8 is of such length that a portion 1a of said base element extends in a straight line from one end of the bowed shoe 1 to the opposite end thereof. and with opposite end portions 1b of said base element extending upwardly along the curved upper face of the shoe in contact therewith. Thus, a substantial body of mop material is located at the lower face of the base element, and tapered bodies of said mop material are present at the opposite ends of the shoe, as is shown to good advantage in Fig. 2.

In the use of the washing implement of the present invention in washing an automobile, for instance, the washing head 8 of the implement is dipped in a body of water and the implement is manipulated in a manner to move the wet washing head over surface portions of the automobile in washing contact therewith. It is important to note that because of the resilient nature of the shoe 1 of the implement the washing head 8 is capable of changing its shape so as to conform to the shape of the surface portion over which the washing head is being passed and thereby obtain complete and intimate washing contact between the washing head of the washing implement and the surface portion being washed, as is shown in Fig. 5. Also, the tapered bodies of mop material at the opposite ends of the washing head 8 may be forced into crevices and the like, for eiiiciently washing same, this being the result of the tapered bodies of mop material at the opposite ends of the washing head and the resilient nature of the shoe 1. When a washing operation has been completed with the aid of the washing implement of the present invention the wet washing head 8 may be quickly removed in a very simple manner and replacedv by a dry head which may be employed for drying and polishing the automobile.

By referring to Fig. 1 it will be noted that the shoe 1 is provided with longitudinally extended slots 13 and 14 which eliminate any tendency that the handle-receiving portion 6 might have to unduly stiffen said shoe in the absence of the slots. The portion of the shoe 1 which is located between said slots is constituted a bridge portion attached at its opposite ends to said shoe 1 and the handle 7 is connected to said bridge portion. This arrangement is a very important feature of the invention in that said bridge portion located between the slots 13 and 14 permits the handle to swivel freely and it also 3 permits said bridge portion to be forced downwardly so that the portion of the head located beneath the bridge portion is forced firmly against the surface being washed.

I claim:

1. An implement which comprises an arch-shaped shoe formed of resilient and yieldable material, a flexible cleaning head attached to said shoe at opposite ends thereof and spanning the space between opposite ends of the arch-shaped shoe, said space-spanning portion of said head being of less length than the unstressed length of said shoe whereby said head is held taut by the tendency of said arch-shaped shoe to move to a flat position, and the shoe is retained in its arched position by said taut head, said resilient and yieldable shoe and said head being capable of adapting themselves in shape to different shapes of surface portions being contacted by said head, and the material of which said shoe is made being yieldable on impact so as to avoid marring a surface struck by said shoe during a cleaning operation, said shoe having a pair of spaced slots, a portion of said shoe located between said slots providing a bridge portion, and a handle attached to said bridge portion of said shoe.

2. An implement which comprises an elongated archshaped shoe formed of resilient and yieldable material, a flexible cleaning head attached to said shoe at opposite ends thereof. and spanning the space between opposite ends of the arch-shaped shoe, said space-spanning portion of said head being of less length than the unstressed length of said shoe whereby said head is held taut by the tendency of said arch-shaped shoe to move to a flat position, and the shoe is retained in its arched position by said taut head, said resilient and yieldable shoe and said head being capable of adapting themselves in shape to different shapes of surface portions being contacted by said head, and the material of which said shoe is made being yieldable on impact so as to avoid marring a surface struck by said shoe during a cleaning operation, said shoe having a pair of spaced slots extended longitudinally thereof, a portion of said shoe located between said slots providing a bridge portion, and a handle attached to said bridge portion of said shoe.

3. An implement which comprises an elongated archshaped shoe formed of resilient and yieldable material, a flexible cleaning head attached to said shoe at opposite ends thereof and spanning the space between opposite ends of the arch-shaped shoe, said space-spanning portion of said head being of less length than the unstressed length of said shoe whereby said head is held taut by the tendency of said arch-shaped shoe to move to a flat position, and the shoe is retained in its arched position by said taut head, said resilient and yieldable shoe and said head being capable of adapting themselves in shape to difierent shapes of surface portions being contacted by said head,

and the material of which said shoe is made being yieldable on impact so as to avoid marring a surface struck by said shoe during a cleaning operation, said shoe having a pair of spaced slots extended longitudinally thereof, a

portion of said shoe located between said slots providing a bridge portion which is attached to said shoe at its opposite ends, and a handle attached to said bridge portion of said shoe.

' 4. An implement which comprises an elongated archshaped shoe formed of resilient and yieldable material, a

cleaning head attached to said shoe at opposite ends 7 thereof and spanning the space between opposite ends of the arch-shaped shoe, a flexible base portion forming part of said head, said space-spanning portion of said head being of less length than the unstressed length of said shoe whereby said head is held taut by the tendency of said arch-shaped shoe to move to a fiat position, and the shoe is retained in its arched position by said taut head, said resilient and yieldable shoe and said head being capable of adapting themselves in shape to different shapes of surface portions being contacted by said head, and the material of which said shoe is made being yieldable on impact so as to avoid marring a surface struck by said shoe during a cleaning operation, said shoe having a pair of spaced slots extended longitudinally thereof, a portion of said shoe located between said slots providing a bridge portion, and a handle attached to said bridge portion of said shoe.

5. An implement which comprises an elongated archshaped shoe formed of resilient and yieldable material, a head attached to said shoe at opposite ends thereof and spanning the space between opposite ends of the archshaped shoe, a flexible base portion forming part of said head to which mop material is attached, said space-spanning portion of said head being of less length than the unstressed length of said shoe whereby said head is held taut by the tendency ofsaid arch-shaped shoe to move to a flat position, and the shoe is retained in its arched position by said taut head, said resilient and yieldable shoe and said head being capable of adapting themselves in shape to different shapes of surface portions being contacted by said head, and the material of which said shoe is made being yieldable on impact so as to avoid marring a surface struck by said shoe during a washing operation, said shoe having a pair of spaced slots extended longitudinally thereof, a portion of said shoe located between said slots providing a bridge portion, and a handle attached to said bridge portion of said shoe.

6. An implement which comprises an elongated archshaped shoe formed of resilient and yieldable material, a head attached to said shoe at opposite ends thereof and spanning the space between opposite ends of the archshaped shoe, a flexible base portion forming part of said head to which mop material is attached, said space-spanning portion of said head being of less length than the unstressed length of said shoe whereby said head is held taut by the tendency of said arch-shaped shoe to move to a fiat position, and the shoe is retained in its arched position by said taut head, said resilient and yieldable shoe and said head being capable of adapting themselves in shape to different shapes of surface portions being contacted by said head, and the material of which said shoe is made being yieldable on'impact so as to avoid marring a surface struck by said shoe during a washing operation, said shoe having a pair of spaced slots extended longitudinally thereof, a portion of said shoe located between said slots providing a bridge portion, and a handle attached to said bridge portion of said shoe, the means for attaching said head to said shoe comprising portions of flexible material located at opposite ends of said head which engage opposite end portions of said shoe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 932,039 Marshall Aug. 24, 1909 1,009,785 Peterson Nov. 28, 1911 1,086,809 Davids Feb. 10, 1914 1,596,663 Kirsh Aug. 17, 1926 1,775,235 Carlson Sept. 9, 1930 2,132,889 Ayres Oct. 11, 1938 2,301,586 Rubin Nov. 10, 1942 2,516,396 Kersh July 25, 1950 2,564,031 Rich Aug. 14, 1951 2,646,588 Wagner July 28, 1953 2,682,071 Linderoth June 29, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 406,800 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1934 Great Britain Oct. 31, 1951 

